Railway-track appliance.



No. 68|,820. y Patented Sept. 3, 190|. J. W. STEPHENSUN.

RAILWAY TRACK APPLIANGE.

(Application fled July 25, 1900.) (No Model.)

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Hammam JOHN W'. STEPI-IENSON, OF TOLEDO,

MALLEABLE CASTINGS PATENT OFFICE.

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAILWAY-TRACK APPLIANCE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,820, dated September 3, 1901.

l Application filed .Tuly25, 1900. Serial No. 24,779. (llo model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that l, JOHN W. SrEPHENsoN, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway-Track Appliances, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciication, in which- Figure l shows in perspective view a section of a railway-track provided with myimproved devices. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the rail-brace, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line III III of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 2 2' represent the rails of a railway-track. The :rail 2', which on a curve is the outside rail, is fitted with a brace constructed as follows:

3 is a tie-plate having a longitudinal shoulder Il, against which the inner flange of the rail abuts, and having opposite thereto a shoulder 5, which is tapered or undercut, as shown, and constitutes an abutment against which the rear end of the brace 6 has a sliding bearing, and this shoulder is also inclined longitudinally7 relatively to the rail and to its companion shoulder 4., so that when the brace is forced along the same it will act as a wedge and will be forced against the head and flange of the rail, coming to a iirm bearing thereon. The brace 6 has a bearing on the under side of the head and the upper side of the iiange of the rail. The plate 3 is held by spikes 7 or otherwise to the tie 8, and the brace is held in position by a spike 9 or like device, which is driven into the tie through a hole in a iange of the brace 6 and through a slot 10 in the plate 3, the slot permitting the brace to be forced along its inclined shoulder to a solid bearing against the rail to any extent required without preventing the driving of the spike 9. When the spikes are driven, the parts are held rigidly in position and the rail is braced with great security even when the tie is of softwood having feeble holding power on the spikes. On the other rail 2 there may be a brace like the one just described; but I preferably employ on it a tie-plate 11, on which the rail rests and which is held to the rail by. spikes 12er the like. This plate is preferably connected with the plate 3 by a tie-rod 13, fitted in outwardly open sockets 14 on the under sides and inner margins of the two plates and having holes which register with spike-holes l5, formed in the sockets. The parts having been assembled as shown in the drawings, spikes 1G or the like are driven through the registering holes into the tie, thus fastening the tie-rod to the plates, and by holding the plates together the tie-rod prevents the rails from spreading. This feature of my invention contributes greatly to the strength of the track. It is simple and cheap and is of practical value in railway construction.

Within the scope of my invention as dened in the claims changes may be made by the skilled mechanic. Thus the tie-rod 13 may be used with tie-plates of various formsfor example, with two tie-plates like the plate 3 ortwo tie-plates like the plate l1.

1. The combination with a railroad-rail, of

a rail-brace having a bearing against the upper side of the flange and the under side of the head of the rail, and a tie-plate on which the brace is set, said tie-plate having a longitudinally-inclined rear bearing for the railbrace, saidV brace having a spike-hole, and the tie-plate having a slot registering therewith; substantially as described.

2. A tie-plate adapted to rest on the surface of a tie under ak rail, and having on its under side and inner margin a socket for the reception of a tie-rod, said socket being open at its end for the free insertion of a tie-rod; substantially as described.

3. The combination of the rails of a railway-track, tie-plates therefor, a tie-rod connecting the tie-plates and connected therewith by spikes passed vertically through the plates and tie-rod; substantially as described.

4.. The combination with a railroad-rail, of a rail-brace, having a bearing against the upper side of the flange and the head of the rail, and a tie-plate on which the brace is set, said tie-plate having a longitudinally-inclined rear bearing for the railbrace; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOI-IN W. STEPI-IENSON.

Vitnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, G. I. HoLDsHIP.

the under side of 9 IOO 

